Toilet flush valve



Dec. 19, 1967 J. R. WOLFGRAM 3,353,295

TOILET FLUSH VALVE Filed Oct. 24, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR L/ H/VFF. VI QAFGFPAM F76. 2 0

BY Gil/m? ATTORNEY 1957 J. R. WOLFGRAM 3,358,295

TOILET FLUSH VALVE Filed Oct. 24, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 76. 5 MENTORJOH P. WOLFGRAM ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,358,295 PatentedDec. 19, 1967 3,358,295 TOILET FLUSH VALVE John R. Wolfgrarn, 558 E.Idaho Ave., St. Paul, Minn. 55101 Filed Oct. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 504,422Claims. (Cl. 4-42) This invention relates to an improvement in toiletflush valve and deals particularly with a siphon type valve capable ofeliminating the ball type valve usually used in the flush tankdischarge, and also eliminating the difliculties often experienced withsuch a form of valve.

Toilet flush valves have been by far the major difliculty experiencedwith modern type flush toilets. The valves of the type in question mustremain open until the major portion of the water in the tank has beendrained away, and must then seal the tank outlet so that leakage doesnot occur. As soon as this valve ceases to function properly, the waterslowly drains into the toilet bowl, often resulting in a conditionwherein the water is constantly flowing into, and out of, the flushtank. This not only creates a serious water leakage, but also oftencreates an annoying sound.

Siphon type flush valves have been used from time to time in an effortto obviate the difiiculty with the ball type valve. Siphon valves,however, have usually been in the form of elongated tubes either ofU-shaped form or of angular form having an end which terminates near thebottom of the flush tank, and an intermediate portion which extendsabove the normal water line in the flush tank. The main objections todevices of this type have been that they are considerably more expensivethan the usual ball type valve, and they are normally much slower inoperation due to the fact that all of the water in the tank must flowthrough the siphon tube on its way to the discharge. As a result oftheir relatively high cost and slow operation, they have not, to myknowledge, ever been sold in any great volume.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a flush valve of thesiphon type which will empty the flush tank as quickly as any other typeof valve of which I am familiar, and which is virtually fool-proof inits operation. The device comprises primarily of a flexible tube whichis connected to the tank discharge and which is of substantially thesame diameter as the discharge. To this flexible tube is connected asiphon head having an outlet end connected to the flexible tube, aninlet end through which the water may flow, and an intermediate bendwhich is normally above the level of at least a portion of the inlet andoutlet ends of the siphon head. The present structure diflers fromprevious structures in that the inlet head has a portion of its inletend above the normal water level in the flush tank when the Watertherein is at its normal level. Rather than to have the end of the flushvalve extend normally to a point adjacent the bottom of the flush tank,the suction head is short and is raised with the raising of the waterlevel by means of a float attached to the siphon head. As a result, thedischarge pipe attached to the tank is normally open to atmospherethrough the inlet end of the siphon head when the flush tank is full.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of adevice of the type described in which the suction head is supported forpivotal movement about a fixed pivot. This fixed pivot is usually belowthe normal water line of the flush tank. As the buoyant member issecured to the siphon head, the siphon head will move in an arcuate pathfrom a position engaging the bottom of the flush tank, at which time thetank is emptied, to a position in which the interior of the siphon headis exposed to air above the water level. When the tank is flushed, as bya pivotal handle supporting an arm connected by a flexible member to thepivotal siphon head support, the siphon head is manually emersed,causing the water within the tank to flow through the siphon head,flexible tube, and the tank discharge until the tank is virtually empty.At this point, air enters the siphon head and the siphoning of the tankstops. At this point, the float attached to the underside of the siphonhead will elevate the siphon head with the level of the water in thetank until the siphon head is in its starting position.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the provisionof a siphon type flush tank discharge valve which may be produced at acost which places it competitive with the cost of many of the so-calledball type discharge valves on the market. The structure is firmly moldedof plastic and includes a lower portion which threads into the tankdischarge and to which the flexible tube is attached, the siphon head atthe end of the tube and which may be a part thereof, and an arm which ispivotally supported by the first molded piece and which serves tocontrol the movement of the siphon head. This latter described part iswhat may be termed a bell-crank lever engaged with the siphon head atone end and with the manual toilet flushing means at the other end. Byraising the latter described end of the bell crank lever, the endthereof engaging the suction head forces the suction head below thesurface of the water in the tank, and permitting the water to siphonfrom the flush tank.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of asiphon head having an inlet end which is on a plane inclining in onedirection from the horizontal when the siphon head is in raisedposition, and inclining in the opposite direction with respect to thehorizontal when the siphon head is in lowered position. As a result ofthis arrangement, when the siphon head is elevated to its raisedposition when the tank is full, the upper portion of the inlet end ofthe siphon head is above the water level, allowing air to enter thesiphon head, while the bent intermediate portion of the siphon head isalso above the water level, preventing the water from flowing from theinlet end of the siphon head to the oulet end thereof. When the tank isempty, the portion of the inlet end of the siphon head which was abovethe liquid level when the tank was filled is pivoted down intoengagement with the bottom of the tank, and the water continues to drainfrom the tank until the water level reaches the highest point of thesiphon head inlet end, at which time air enters the siphon head andbreaks the siphoning action.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention willbe more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification andclaims:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view through a flush tank showing thesiphon type flush valve in the position it assumes when the tank isfull.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the position of the valvewhen the tank is empty.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the flush tank.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the siphon type valve.

FIGURE 5 is an end elevational view of the base portion of the siphonvalve.

FIGURE 1 illustrates in general a flush tank 10 of the type used on atoilet and having an outlet opening 11 in its bottom surface. A watersupply pipe 9 extends into the tank 10 and is provided with a valveelement 12 designed to maintain a constant water level, indicated at 13,in the tank 10. Alternatively, the water supply pipe 12 may be connectedto a valve controlled by a float within the tank which accomplishes thesame result.

The present device includes, in general, four major parts. These partsinclude a base fitting 14 which is illusstrated by itself in FIGURE 5 ofthe drawings. The struc ture also includes a flexible tubewhich formsthe intermediate portion of the device. The third part comprises thesiphon head 16. The fourth major part comprises the actuating lever 17which is pivotally connected to-t'he base portion 14 of the device andwhich is attached to the suction head 16 so that pivotal movement of thelever arm 17 serves to fill the tube 15 by emersion of the suction head16 and to cause the suction head to drain the water from the tank 10.

The base unit'14 includes an externally threaded sleeve 19 designed toscrew into a suitable fitting 20 connected to the outlet pipe 21 leadingto the toilet bowl. As indicated in FIGURE 5, a U-shaped bracket 22 alsoforms a part of the base member 14; The U-shaped bracket 22 includes abase plate 23 which is arranged on a plane normal to the axis of thethreaded sleeve 19, and a pair of parallel arms 24 extending upwardlyfrom opposite ends of the base plate 23. The parallel arms 24 arepreferably generally triangular in shape tapering towardthe upper end,and are provided with opposed coaxial pivots 25 near their upper ends.The base portion 14 also includes an inclined upwardly and forwardlyinclined tubular portion 27 communicating with the interior of thethreaded sleeve 19 and mounted on the upper surface of the base plate23.

The flexible tube 15 may be of any suitable type, but preferablycomprises a fluted or corrugated section of tubing made of flexibleresilient plastic. The plastic is of a type to prevent: any deleteriouseffect from water or' substances in water which might reduce theflexibility of the material involved.

The siphon head 16 comprises a hollow tubular hookshaped portion whichis generally rectangular incrosssection', but which may be provided witha cylindrical neck 29. The tubular portion 15-encircles thesubstantially cylindrical projection 27 onthe base member 14, andencircles the cylindrical end 29 of the siphon head 16. The tube 15 issealed to" the members it' embraces at both endsof the tube.

The outlet end 29 of the siphon head 16 terminates. at an angle ofsomewhat greater than 90- degrees from the plane of the inlet end 39*oft-hesiphon head. Intermediate the inlet 36 and outlet 29, the interiorof the siphon head includes a bend as indicated at 31-. The concaveunder side of the siphon head 16 is provided with a' block 32 of foamplastic or similar material on the concave side of the siphon headb'etwen the inlet and the outlet. This foam plastic block 32 acts asafloat toelevate the siphon head as the water level rises, as will bedescribed.

The lever 17 includes an elongated arm 33 having anofiset end 34;secured to the convex surface of the siphon head 16. The lever 17comprises a bell crank lever and is provided with an intermediatewidened portion 35 including a pair of right angularly extendingparallel ears 36 which are apertured to a'ccomodate' the pivot pins 25;In actual practice, the base portion 14 as Well as the lever arm 17 areformed of plastic which is sufficiently resilient to permit the bracketsides 24- to be spread apart to the extent necessary to engage the pivotpins 25* in the apertured parallel ears 36; Alternatively, the pivotpins 25 may be" removable for assembly purposes.

The end of the lever 17 opposite that attached to the siphon head 16comprises an arm 37 which is at generally right angular relation to thearm portion 33. The intermediate widened portion 39 of the arm 37 isprovided with a generally rectangular aperture 49. A tube 41 extendsthrough the base portion 14 as indicated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings,and extends to the bottom level of the externally threaded sleeve. Thetube is shown as extending above the liquid level in the tank and isconnected by a tubular conduit 38 (see FIGURE 3) to the valve element 12connected to the water supply pipe 9 to receive a small proportion ofthe water supplied thereto. This water fiOWs into the toilet bowl as thewater isflowing into the tank 10 to refill the bowl. The. side of thetube 41 most remote from the siphon head is supported by an arm 43having a stop shoulder 44 thereon. When in elevated position of thesiphon head 16, the arm engages this stop shoulder to limit upwardmovement. If the tank overfills, the siphon head and tube 15 act as anoverflow pipe.

As is indicated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the front surface 46 of thetank 10 supports a shank 47 extending therethrough having an operatinghandle 49 on its outer end externally of the tank, and an arm 50 on itsinner and internally of the tank. A flexible member 51 such asa chain orthe like, is adjustably connected to the arm 50 and is connected to theouter extremity 52 of the end 37 of the bell crank lever 17; By pivotingthe handle 49 in a counterclockwise direction, the arm 50 is elevated,pivoting the bell crank lever 17 in a clockwise direction. This actionsubmerges the siphon head 16, filling the tube 15 and starting thesiphoning action.

It will be noted that the inlet end 39 0f the siphon end- 16 is inclinedso that the upper extremity of this head is slig tly above the liquidlevel 13 when the siphon head is in its elevated position. However, whenthe bell crank lever 17 is pivoted, swinging the siphon head 16downwardly below the water level 13, the inlet end 30 is swung toward ahorizontal position, and the buoyant block 32 is swung above the levelofthe inlet end30. In other words, the bouyant block 32 is only inposition to expose the inlet end 3% to atmosphere above the liquid levelwhen the tube is substantially in the upright position shown inFIGURE 1. As shown in FIGURE 2, when the suction head is in itscompletely lowered position, the buoyant block is actually above theminimum water level 53 in the tank 10. As indicated in both of theextreme positions shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the buoyant block 32 alwaysmaintains the bend 31 of the siphon end above the water level, and thewater wouldnever drain unless the siphon head was manually swung intosubmerged position. As the water level lowers, the effectiveness of thebuoyant block 32 continually decreases until-in the lowermost positionof the suction head, indicated in FIGURE 2, there is no buoyant effecton the siphon head,.and there will not be until. the water level israised to the point where the buoyant block 32 is partially submerged.

Because of the dimensions of the suction head 16 and the tube 15, thewater in the tank 10- will. flow from the tankjust as quickly as theoutlet passage will permit. By providing a buoyant means of supportingthe'suction head which at all times supports the bend 31015 the siphonhead above the level of the water unless it is manually forced beneaththe surface, a quick acting and extremely inexpensive discharge valve isproduced. In accordance withthe patent statutes, I have described theprinciples of construction. and operation of my improvement in toiletflush valve, and while I have endeavored to set forth the bestembodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may bemade within the scope of the following claims without depart.- ing, fromthe spirit of myinvention.

I claim:

1. A flush tank siphoning, apparatus in combination with a flush tankhaving an outlet opening at its lower end, and liquid supply meansadaptable to refill the tank to a predetermined level, theapparatusincluding:

"a flexible tube connected to said outlet opening,

ahook-shaped hollow siphon head on said flexible tube having an inletend, an outlet end connected to said tube, and an intermediate bendalways above the level of portions of said inlet and outlet ends,

means pivotally supporting said siphon head for movement from a positionwith. the inlet end of the siphon head closely adjacent to the tankbottom to a position in which a portion of the siphon head projectsabove said predetermined liquid level,

a buoyant means connected to the siphon head to raise said head as thefluid level raises in the tank,

a portion of the inlet end of said siphon head and the intermediate bendthereof being supported by said float above said predetermined liquidlevel when said liquid is at said level, and

means for forcing said siphon head below the predetermined fluid levelto drain the liquid from said tank.

2. A flush tank siphoning apparatus in combination with a flush tankhaving an outlet opening at its lower end, and liquid supply meansadaptable to refill the tank to a predetermined level, the apparatusincluding:

a curved concave-convex hollow siphon head mounted upon said flexibletube with the concave side of said siphon head lowermost,

said siphon head including an outlet end, an inlet end,

and an upwardly humped intermediate portion,

an arm supported on a substantially horizontal axis adjacent to saidoutlet opening and secured to said siphon head to swing said siphon headabout the pivot axis of said arm,

a buoyant means secured to the concave side of said siphon head to raisesaid siphon head in the tank as the water level raises therein,

said buoyant means being below the level of a portion of said inlet endof said siphon head when said tank is filled to said predeterminedlevel, and above the level of said inlet end of said siphon head whensaid tank is substantially empty, and

manually operable means connected to said arm for pivoting the same toimmerse said siphon head.

3. A flush tank siphoning apparatus in combination With a flush tankhaving an outlet opening at its lower end and liquid supply meansoperable to refill the tank to a predetermined level, the apparatusincluding:

a flexible tube having one end connected to, and communicating with, theoutlet opening of the tank,

a curved siphon head secured to the other end of said tube and includingan outlet end secured to said tube, an inlet end, and a convexly curvedintermediate bend therebetween,

a buoyant member attached to said siphon head adapted to raise saidsiphon head with the water level as the tank refills,

said buoyant member holding said bend of said siphon head above thewater level, and raising a portion of the inlet end of the siphon headabove the water level as the water level approaches said predeterminedlevel, and

manually operable means for forcing said siphon head beneath the waterlevel to fill said siphon head and start the siphoning action,

said siphon head inlet being so related to said buoyant member that saidbuoyant member raises above the level of said inlet as said siphon headswings downwardly in said tank to permit said inlet to lie below thewater level until the tank substantially empties.

4. The structure of claim 3 and including:

bracket means secured adjacent said tank outlet,

an arm pivotally supported on a horizontal axis to said bracket meansand having one end secured to said siphon head, whereby said siphon headis supported for movement in an arcuate path.

5. The structure of claim 4 and in which said manually operable means issecured to the other end of said arm.

6. The structure of claim 4 and including means limiting the upwardpivotal movement of said arm, whereby in the event the liquid level insaid tank exceeds said predetermined level, said siphon head may serveas an overflow member.

7. A flush tank siphoning apparatus for use in combination with a flushtank having an outlet opening at its lower end, and a liquid supplymeans operable to refill the tank to a predetermined level, theapparatus includmg:

a tubular base unit connected to, and communicating with, said tankoutlet,

a flexible tube secured at one end to and communicating with saidtubular base unit,

a siphon head secured to said tube and having an outlet end secured tothe other end of said tube, an inlet end angularly related to saidoutlet end, and an upwardly humped bent intermediate portion betweensaid outlet end and said inlet end,

a buoyant means secured to said siphon head and operable to raise saidsiphon head as the water level in the tank raises,

said buoyant means being so related to the inlet end of said siphon headto raise a portion of the inlet end above the water line when the wateris at said predetermined level, and to lower the inlet end of the siphonhead as said siphon head swings downwardly,

arm means having one end connected to said siphon head and pivotallyconnected to said base unit to guide said siphon head in an arcuate pathbetween raised and lowered positions, and

manually operable means for swinging said arm means downwardly tosubmerge and fill said siphon head and to lower the water level to apoint where said buoyant means no longer supports said inlet end abovethe water level.

8. The structure of claim 7 and in which said manually operable means isconnected to the other end of said arm.

9. The structure of claim 7 and including means engageable with said armto limit upward swinging of said siphon head, whereby if the water levelin said tank rises above said predetermined level, said siphon headserves as an overflow.

10. The structure of claim 7 and including a tubular connectionextending from the interior of said base unit to the liquid supply meansthrough which a portion of the liquid may flow when the liquid level inthe tank is rising.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,203,106 10/1916 Fulton 4421,203,602 11/1916 Fulton 442 1,335,715 3/1920 Scheier 442 2,169,8458/1939 McBride 442 3,090,966 5/1963 Gould 450 SAMUEL ROTHBERG, PrimaryExamin'er. H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A FLUSH TANK SIPHONING APPARATUS IN COMBINATION WITH A FLUSH TANKHAVING AN OUTLET OPENING AT ITS LOWER END, AND LIQUID SUPPLY MEANSADAPTABLE TO REFILL THE TANK TO A PREDETERMINED LEVEL, THE APPARATUSINCLUDING: A FLEXIBLE TUBE CONNECTED TO SAID OUTLET OPENING, AHOOK-SHAPED HOLLOW SIPHON HEAD ON SAID FLEXIBLE TUBE HAVING AN INLETEND, AND OUTLET END CONNECTED TO SAID TUBE, AND AN INTERMEDIATE BENDALWAYS ABOVE THE LEVEL OF PORTIONS OF SAID INLET AND OUTLET ENDS, MEANSPIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAID SIPHON HEAD FOR MOVEMENT FROM A POSITION WITHTHE INLET END OF THE SIPHON HEAD CLOSELY ADJACENT TO THE TANK BOTTOM TOA POSITION IN WHICH A PORTION OF THE SIPHON HEAD PROJECTS ABOVE SAIDPREDETERMINED LIQUID LEVEL. A BUOYANT MEANS CONNECTED TO THE SIPHON HEADTO RAISE SAID HEAD AS THE FLUID LEVEL RAISES IN THE TANK, A PORTION OFTHE INLET END OF SAID SIPHON HEAD AND THE INTERMEDIATE BEND THEREOFBEING SUPPORTED BY SAID FLOAT ABOVE SAID PREDETERMINED LIQUID LEVEL WHENSAID LIQUID IS AT SAID LEVEL, AND MEANS FOR FORCING SAID SIPHON HEADBELOW THE PREDETERMINED FLUID LEVEL TO DRAIN THE LIQUID FROM SAID TANK.